Statistical report on Internet development in China(January 2018)

Basic Information

◇ As of the end of December 2017, the number of Internet users in China reached 772 million, with an increase of 40.74 million from the end of 2016. The Internet penetration reached 55.8 percent, up 2.6 percentage points from the end of 2016.

◇ As of the end of 2017, the number of mobile Internet users in China reached 753 million, an increase of 57.34 million from the end of 2016. The mobile Internet users accounted for 97.5 percent of the total netizen population, while this percentage was 95.1 percent at the end of 2016.

◇ As of the end of 2017, the number of Internet users in Chinese rural areas was 209 million and accounted for 27.0 percent of the total netizen population, with an increase of 7.93 million or 4.0 percent from the end of 2016.

◇ As of December 2017, the proportion of Chinese netizens using mobile phones to access the Internet was 97.5 percent, 2.4 percentage points more than the end of 2016, hitting a new high record; the proportion of Chinese netizens using desktops, laptops or tablet computers to access the Internet was 53.0 percent, 35.8 percent and 27.1 percent respectively, decreasing slightly from the end of 2016; and the proportion of Chinese netizens using TV to access the Internet was 28.2 percent, an increase of 3.2 percentage point from the end of 2016.

◇ As of December 2017, the number of “.CN” domain names increased 1.2 percent, reaching 20.85 million, and its proportion in total domain names increased to 54.2 percent; the international Internet gateway bandwidth was 7,320,180 Mbps, up 10.2 percent from the end of 2016.

◇ As of December 2017, the number of websites in China was 5.33 million, among which 3.15 million used “.CN” domain name.

◇ As of December 2017, the number of instant message (IM) users reached 720 million, increasing 53.95 million from the end of 2016 and accounting for 93.3 percent of the total netizen population. The number of mobile phone IM users reached 694 million, increasing 55.62 million from the end of 2016 and accounting for 92.2 percent of the total mobile phone netizens.

◇ As of December 2017, the online shopping users in China reached 533 million, an increase of 14.3 percent from the end of 2016, accounting for 69.1 percent of the total Internet users. The scale of netizens using mobile phone to do online shopping reached 506 million, up 14.7 percent from the end of 2016, and the utilizaiton ratio increased from 63.4 percent to 67.2 percent.

◇ As of December 2017, the scale of online payment users in China reached 531 million, an increase of 56.61 million compared to the end of 2016. The annual growth rate was 11.9 percent, and the utilization rate reached 68.8 percent. Among the online payment users, the number of those using mobile phones increased rapidly to 527 million, an increase of 57.83 million compared
to the end of 2016. The annual growth rate was 12.3 percent and the utilization ratio was 70 percent.

◇ As of December 2017, the scale of live webcast users reached 422 million, an increase of 22.6 percent compared to the end of 2016. Among them, the number of live game users reached 224 million, an increase of 77.56 million compared to the end of 2016 and accounting for 29 percent of the total netizens. The number of live reality show users reached 220 million, up 75.22 million from the end of 2016, accounting for 28.5 percent of the total netizens.

◇ As of December 2017, the scale of bicycle sharing users in China reached 221 million, accounting for 28.6 percent of the total netizens. The increase was 115 million in the second half of 2017, and the growth rate reached 108.1 percent.

◇ As of December 2017, the scale of online government service users in China reached 485 million, accounting for 62.9 percent of the total netizens.

◇ As of December 2017, the number of domestic and overseas listed Internet enterprises reached 102, and their overall market value was RMB 8. 97 trillion.

◇ As of December 2017, the total number of Unicorn Internet and IT enterprises in China was 77. The number of Unicorn enterprises in Beijing accounted for 41.6 percent of the total, and that in Shanghai accounted for 23.4 percent.

◇ As of June 2017, the number of artificial intelligence (AI) enterprises in China was 592, accounting for 23.3 percent of the total AI enterprises in the world. In 2016, the number of patent applications related to AI in China reached 30,115.